1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices and more particularly to a display device suitable for display of packages of small consumer items such as razor blades and which is designed to reduce or inhibit shoplifting of such items from the display.
2. Prior Art
The display of merchandise such as razor blades and other such items having small package dimensions at retail establishments presents problems because of the risk that shoplifters will remove large quantities of such items from the display, conceal them on their person, and leave the store without paying for them. To guard against such risk, retail stores sometimes keep such items in locked cabinets or behind the counter where store personnel are located; however, doing so is not entirely satisfactory because consumers may be disinclined to find a store employee to get access to the merchandise and therefore decide to buy the merchandise at a different store, which may or may not occur.
The present invention is directed to solving this problem by providing a display device that permits the display of such merchandise such as razor blades for the consumer in a normal retail area, yet inhibits or prevents shoplifters from easily removing large quantities of such merchandise quickly from the display in order to steal it. The display device also provides a mechanism that allows for a large graphic area to be placed in front of the inventory.
In particular, sales data indicate that honest shoppers very rarely purchase multiple packages of certain products, such as razor blades, in a single visit. Accordingly, a person seeking multiple packages of certain products, such as razor blades, may constitute suspicious behavior. By increasing the time required for a person to obtain multiple products from a display device according to various embodiments of the invention, the likelihood that a store clerk, customer or other person will notice this suspicious behavior is increased, thereby discouraging theft.